Download the Muppets' Oz Teaser Promo

[The Good Doctor]

Muppet this or Muppet that

First off I would like to say it is great to know that there are people out there who read this stuff. That makes me feel a lot better, and 2nd I am not so keen on making a statement and then having to go back and dig my way out of it. I stand by what i have always said, stop with the toilet jokes, and potty humor, give us the viewers the benifit of the doubt. We do not need rude crude rotten writing to carry the picture along. The Muppets do not need to be a spoof of themselves, they need to be who they are.

The design and construction of the characters is a bit off they do not look like themslves. Sam, Crazy Harry, Piggy, and a few others seem to be a little too cartooned, or may be they are using different foam and fleace these days. Sam is supposed to be bauld, Kirmit can not possibly morph his face into any more expression, because I think if he did Steve might break his hand.

And lastly the story, gang The Wizard of Oz is a great story, and does not need to be doctored up and made into something it is not. The writing used to really be better, and i would like to see some more of that old magic in the story. Imean Muppets treasure Island was handeled so well interms of adapting the original story, the writing was really good. Now days it seems like the writiers are trying to hard and grasping at the wind.

So that is what i have to say about all of that. I will be purchasing Muppets OZ when it comes out on DVD just like evry one else.

 

[Mike Quinn]

Extra Thoughts....

Well now... this is an interesting thread isn't it?

Hi Craig. that CD you sent me, I couldn't get to work unfortunately.

Hi Mak. I miss working with you. Your name came up recently somewhere and we spoke very fondly of you. Let's work together again.

Regarding Wizard, I've not seen the finished show yet but I did work on it for about a month. I had a blast. Everyone was wonderful, worked so very hard and really cared about making it as good as possible (at both Disney and JHC). Being a TV movie, it has a very limited budget compared to the theatrical release movies. These shows are VERY expensive to produce. I'm glad the show was made. The puppets looked great, performances were wonderful and there were some fun and silly moments and scenes that only Muppets can do. Also, I can't imagine anyone doing a better job then Eric J with his new responsibilities, both vocally and puppeteering. He's also a very sweet and deserving guy, so I'm very happy for him and for Muppet fans! Hopefully, this is just the first of many more projects with Disney. So my advice would be, just to sit back and enjoy the show. It looks GREAT! It's entertainment. Knowing what I know now, I'm excited about the future of all these characters we all love so dearly.

We must all support the efforts of Disney and JHC so the momentum can continue. Believe me, nobody wants to do a bad job or jeopordize the characters. Like it or not, life is always changing and we all must move forward with it. We can't remain in the past. Good things can happen if we embrace this. Fun and exciting things. Jim was always looking forward, trying new things and taking risks. Ya gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet, right?

If there are any more disgruntled, disillusioned or disappointed puppeteers out there, well I think we have to be personally responsible for our creativity, happiness and well being. It is not right to dump it all on to a particular person or company and say "here, make me happy". Only we can do that for ourselves. Everyone is human and people do what they do because they are human, mistakes and all. If someone isn't giving you the breaks you think you deserve, go out and start your own company. Be original. Do your thing that is unique to you and to the best of your ability. Believe me, you will find much joy and success in that. Then perhaps others will be asking to work with you! .... see?.....

Anyway my friends, be positive and enjoy every moment and try to leave the world a better place than you found it

I'll check in later to make sure you are all behaving yourselves.... Don't make me stop the car....!!!

 

[Beauregard]

I recently saw a picture from this production, and there was Crazy Harry riding a MOTORBIKE! It looked very, very exciting! Except for one thing. Crazy Harry's face looked very wrong somehow. Something strange about it...Still. Very excited to see our own beloved C. H. on a motorbike. How cool is that?

 

[Craig Crane]

Don't make me stop the car....!!!

Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

Good to hear from you Mike.

I'm happy to say, I never once looked at any one company and said "Make me happy", but I understand where you are coming from. Your also correct on the human issues. If we all conformed to the same perception of what is correct and never made mistakes, then it would be a very dull world.

However, I just want to clarify that I dont feel I deserve any breaks or that the world (or Hensons) owes me a living. I know you don't state that in your post, but naturally anyone reading this entire thread could be mistaken in thinking that I do in fact feel this way...... which I know as not to be the case.

 

[No1MuppetFan]

Can anyone tape this when it's shown on ABC on the 20th of May on a DVD RECORDER for me as I live in Australia and there is no word that this will be on television here. I'll be happy to pay for DVD + Postage.

 

[The Good Doctor]

Crazy Harry

I recently saw a picture from this production, and there was Crazy Harry riding a MOTORBIKE! It looked very, very exciting! Except for one thing. Crazy Harry's face looked very wrong somehow. Something strange about it...Still. Very excited to see our own beloved C. H. on a motorbike. How cool is that?

This is the point that I was trying to make, they just don't look like themselves any longer. Now if you go back to the first season of The Muppet Show, Piggy, Kermit, Fozzie all look considerably different that they do in the more modern Muppets Treasure Island. But I thought that a standard had been made and that the characters design and looks were refined, and finished. But I noticed that as you say Crazy Harry Looked very wrong somehow, along with a number of the others.

 

[Beauregard]

He looks like a foam cartoon.

 

[ravagefrackle]

I recently saw a picture from this production, and there was Crazy Harry riding a MOTORBIKE! It looked very, very exciting! Except for one thing. Crazy Harry's face looked very wrong somehow. Something strange about it

ok see its like this, PUPPETS DONT LAST FOR EVER!!!!!!!

they are always being rebuilt, and if its a puppet like say CRAZY HARRY , who rarley gets used or rebuilt chances are that he will not be redone very oftne, and by the time he is redone, it will be done by a new or different puppet builder, evrything possible is done to make them look the same but its not a easy task when all you have for refurance is old photos, maybe a rotten puppet head, and some patterns that were made years earlier by a different puppet designer, often times with few if any markings or notes,

also materilas change over time (as im sure some of you must realize after the announcment about antron fleece was being discontinued,), it happens so all of these factors come to play when rebuilding an old puppet , also all puppet designers add thier own take to a puppet , especially when it is hand carved from a block of foam, and not molded or made from a flat pattern

even the best of us dont always succeed and i think you may be looking a little to close trying to find flaws in the construction, i bet you dont even notice that when a show is being done thier maybe several scenes using different puppet versions of the same character,

having been up close with this puppet i can tell you that it is spot on, looks just like the original, and is not falling apart. costum also plays a part in the look of a puppet , and i know he is not wearing the traditional clothing that crazy harry wears.

 

[dwayne1115]

Change is going to happen. Regardless of what you say. This is the new Generation of muppets with what they do as in movies and shows and things and how they sound, most all the origanl preforers are not preforming due to one thing or another. And the Way they look, At this point im glad they even rebuilt Crazy harry and make him look better. Of Crouse i have only seen him at a glimps but i think it will set the tone for the movie. We all im inculding myself need to get out of the past. and face the sad music that we are not in the 8o's and the muppets "Classic" and "Sesame" are going thorugh some Growing pains without Jim they are going to be happinnig a lot more.

I will have to say one thing about how the muppets look i really love what they have done with Piggy. For a long time i thought ugg she is not cute at all what is Kermit see in her. But lattly she is looking kind of Cute.

Oh and the one about Grover being to blue and fuzzy. Have you ever heard the song he sings called "FUZZY AND BLUE" humm what does that mean i wonder.

 

[ravagefrackle]

True but not true... There is a significant difference when the most characters are re-built. Take for example Grover. WOAH! Not only did they up the color blue a few notches but whats with the fur. WAY too fuzzy. Grover is known for his more nappy fur and they certainly could've done something to the fur fabric to make it more like the way Grover is known for.
Also Bert has gone through many changes from Antron Fleece to Polar Fleece and a more rounded head.
Personally I think all the Muppets looked the best and at their peak during the 80's. They had reached the top of the line at that point. I think it was a combination of the builders that were all working together and the way they used the fabric and fur.

again not every thing is availible anymore,

"Take for example Grover. WOAH! Not only did they up the color blue a few notches but whats with the fur. WAY too fuzzy. Grover is known for his more nappy fur and they certainly could've done something to the fur fabric to make it more like the way Grover is known for."

the changes made to grover were not only the workshops doing, first of all, sesam workshop owns him, not Henson(or whats left of them)

second the fur is no longer made, the original grover was made in the late sixties when many fabrics for the muppets were made, although they did buy in bulk over the years it was used for making many different grovers for video and tv, photo puppets, and stunt puppets,

the new grover does look a little different but that isnt a deciesion that was made solely buy the workshop, yes he is a brighter color, but they came from Sesame workshop, in what i would say was an attempt to burst his popularity among the kids (how else do u get him to compete with a bright red monster ),besides that , since the fur used on the first puppets isnt made , , they had to custom dye the fur to get the desired color, something that is both time consuming and very difficult to do, but the dyer at the shop is amazing and im sure he made him to match the new look that was asked for(they never send out a puppet out that hasnt been approved of by the suits)and last but not least Time is the key, yes the grover ,many people are familair with is very nappy , and worn, but that only comes with time, lots and lots of time, it takes years to get that worn , lived in look, no amount of fur treating at the hands on the shop will get the fur to look they same as years of hard use, it has a lot to do with the oils on your skin getting worked into the puppet from handling, and the dirt in the air, and on set working their way deep into the fabric to get that rough nappy look,

"Also Bert has gone through many changes from Antron Fleece to Polar Fleece and a more rounded head."

same thing here, again in the early days the fleece was different, it ahd a very soft matte color, , and again , things become unavailible, and have to be redone, several differnet fleeces have come in gone since the early days , and when a puppet is a light color like Bert hes going to get remade again , and again, so new fabric eventuallu come in to play.

as for his head shap looking different, the early days only two people really made the desions,Jim, and Don Sahlin, over the years different peopl came in to work on puppets, and i like to liken this to the use of different animators, and directors in animated cartoons, does bugs bunny or mickey mouse look the same in evry cartoon ?over the years puppets evolve as new material and builders come in to play, for the average veiwer the changes are subtle(if at all noticiable)i would say people on this site are the exception, and not the rule, and few if anyone will ever notice any of the these differences,

"Personally I think all the Muppets looked the best and at their peak during the 80's. They had reached the top of the line at that point. I think it was a combination of the builders that were all working together and the way they used the fabric and fur"

of course they were at the hight of thier creativity, the workshop had some of the best builders in the world working thier, people who had been working togother since the days of the muppet show, and while i know that they still have 4 of the originals still working , it is not now, nor will it ever be the same.
and let it be known that those four are still at the top of thier game, doing the best with what is given them in terms of budget, designs, and materiials availible ,the ways that the fabric is used hasnt changed at all, they are still made by hand, and crafted with care and respect just like they always have been, having worked with them , i know that as long as they are thier the Muppets will still look like Muppets, and Fraggles will still look like Fraggles, and Sesame street will always have great looking puppets(not sure if they can still be called muppest as far as ownership of that name goes these days)